And they lived happily
by sullhach
Summary: There's been a lot of changes... Read Carlisle 's point of view... Curious? You ought to be!
Carlisle

Alice had seen us at the Volturi's, and she knew, it was somehow important, so Jasper, she, Esme and me headed for a plane to Florence. She hadn't seen any further, so I was anxious what was to come.

Esme tried to calm me, but she was nervous herself, so Jasper used his talent on the four of us during the eleven hours flight. As a treat for my daughter I had preodered a yellow Porsche at the car rental service, and this made her smile for the first time at this day.

None of us was in the mood to enjoy the beautiful landscape outside. There was much traffic, and this time she took heed of the Italian speed limits, partly, so it was about a hour later, when we reached our final destination.

Gianna worked still at the reception, but obviously she was changed. She phoned, and a few minutes later Demetri came to fetch us.

He did a little small talk with the receptionist; it sounded to me nearly flirtatious. Then, with a huge smile , he asked us to follow.

It was of course Alice to discover, that he wasn't wearing the usual guard's robe.

"Carlisle, have a look, isn't it a nice Armany suit, Demetri is sporting?" She whispered in my ear.

I rolled my eyes, but she was right, it was an elegant, modern suit.

"Thank you, yes, it is a costum-tailored piece, I appreciate it very much." Demetri answered politely, looking very pleased.

I stumbled literally on my feet. Was this really Demetri or was it a strange sort of dream, I had?

We passed the entrance of the big Hall, till we arrived at another large room, but, what a sight!

This room was nearly the same size as the Hall, but this was the only similarity, I could recognise. It wasn't empty with only the three seats, it was nearly stuffed with all kind of... Things.

My head spun.

There were shelves with books, but also with Cds, Bluerays, DVDs, an oversized flat TV, something, which seems to be a karaoke machine, several play consoles and all kinds of convenience.

Stretched comfortable on some chaiselongue, Aro was reading a book. In another corner of the room, Renata, Chelsea and Afton were busy with something which seemed to be a table top with dragons, orcs and elves. Marcus and Sulspicia were playing some game of chess. Caius was nowhere to be seen.

Me and my family stood literally with gaping mouth.

Aro remarked me, and was at my side in a twinkling. " Oh, Carlisle, my friend, it is SO good to see you here!" He beamed with what seemed to be genuine delight. "I just decided to invite you, because we would really need to talk. And, Esme, Alice, Jasper, feel cordially received! "

He took my hand, and closed his eyes for a second.

"Ts Ts, so many questions, my dear! I will try to answer them. But please feel free to make yourself comfortable, there are enough seats for all of us."

He waved his hand in a generous gesture. But this time his enthusiasm had not the ironically note of former times, it really seemed to be heartfelt, all real.

He waited, until we were all seated, then he continued :"Surely, you remarked there were some changes here till the last time you visited. " *Some changes *, what an exorbitant exaggeration, I thought. The other persons present were listening with kind of gleeful anticipation.

"Yes, we do a lot of playing this time. And, Lia decided our guard's robes were ugly, and we would look better without our capes. She apparently did, on our first encounter…" He added with a sly grin.

"You wouldn't say that, if she or Alec were around to listen. Or if Jane would be there, threatening to claw out your eyes." Sulspicia laughed out.

I didn't understand anything anymore, but it was stunning, to see and feel the relaxed atmosphere in this room.

Aro rolled his eyes helplessly. " You see, dear friends, I have no say in my household! But I am no ruler anymore at all."

This time we were interrupted by laughing voices and running feet in the corridors. Aro looked up very pleased. " The family is coming, you will see them soon."

Jane, Alec and a tall female entered the room, laughing, barefooted, clad in grass stained jeans, and simple white shirts. The wore wreaths of white flowers in their hair, and Jane hold another in her hands.

She jumped on Aro and crowned him with the flowers. "Oh, thank you, Preciosa. Well done." He kissed her tenderly, and hold her on his lap.

" My, my, children behave yourselves, see, we have guests! " Aro chided without earnest in his voice.

" But we already decided to have a *Dolce Vita Night* today. Felix and Santiago are preparing the dance floor, and Heidi is looking for the music." Jane pouted.

"As I stated before, I have no say…" Aro sighed with an excusing glance in my direction.

It was like on of these scenes in a movie, too good to be true, but it really appeared to happen! They acted like a loving family, and I had to remind, I was actually watching the Volturi!

"You have to ask our guests, Preciosa, if they would like to join in." Aro reminded her.

"Oh, I am sure, Alice will love it! Come on, Rosa will dress us up, she always knows, what to wear." Jane grabbed Alice' hands to drag her behind.

"Mind your manners, Jane, there' s a second lady, and you should ask them both!" The tall woman reproached her." You can't act like a tomboy, when we have guests! "

" Oh, I apologise, but, please, would you like to join our little amusement tonight? I'm sure, you will like it. It is something like a party according to the fifties of the last century. We have to wear matching outfits, to behave in the way, people used to do then, to dance to the music of this time. There are several themes, that Rosa invented, but that is the most terrific party, I think. Alec loves it most, too."

I knew, Alice would love it, and even Esme was beaming with anticipation, so I declared us men being outnumbered.

Aro only shrugged his shoulders. "It's always the same. The youngsters and Lia will get, whatever they want."

"Okay, let's go. I will help the four of you dressing up." The tall, Lia? Or Rosa? suggested. I would ask Aro later about.

"But what about your own dressing? " Esme, ever gentle and regardful, asked.

"That's easy, dresses don't suit me, so the only thing I can wear are a turtleneck and capris, and I have to put on ballerinas in any case, or else I could only dance with Felix and he will step on my feet, as often as possible, for revenge of being superior in our last combat. And then þīn steorra would get angry. "

There was much information to sort out. I really had to ask Aro about this strange woman. She seemed to be extremely important to the Volturi.

The women and Alec took Jasper with them and vanished in a rush, and I just stood there with a million of questions at least.

"You appear to be a little confused." Aro stated compassionately.

This was the most flagrant utterance I heard all my long life.

"May I recount a few things?"

A FEW?

We would have to spend the next WEEK at least!

"But we are expected to be at the party in time, and to change before. "

I had to rub my eyes. Was it really Aro, ARO VOLTURI, I was talking with?

" First, you need to know, you was right. You was always right, and I was wrong."

This had to be a dream, this could never happen in reality.

" Mostly. I won't accept that idea of feeding on… " he cleared his voice in kinda disgust," animals. But you were right with your idea of family, friendship and love. Yes, but I needed a little bit of help and this most annoying woman." He added with a wry smile.

" Honestly, maybe you consider that just to be another game, an amusement for a certain time, but now I know what love is for, I love Jane, and I will do for the rest of eternity, if so to happen.

And, I have to admit, I have had so much fun this last three years, than I had all of the three centuries before.

It doesn't matter, that I am being ruled by now. Jane is my empress, and I couldn't deny her anything.

And Jane adores Rosalia, she heeds every idea, she may develop. Alec won't cause any harm on his mate, and though Felix is a little bit stronger, she's more eloquent and quick in fight.

So she is our ruler in fact. But even if I had some possibility to restrain her, she would get her way in any case, simply because it is her talent."

"You're saying…? "

"Yes, her talent is to force her will on every person, may it be human, vampire, what else, she wants to."

He smiled wryly "Maybe I can use this as an excuse for my, what should I call it, resilience? But in fact I don't mind, she doesn't use it for her own behalf. Only when it comes to Alec, she changes in a really savage creature.

Marcus says, the bond between the two of them, is something, he never experienced before, but it is stronger than anything else. They are even connected somehow telepathically.

That were hard times and pains for them to work it out, but if it wasn't for them, I had never accepted Jane to be my soulmate."

It was inevitability, I just HAD to hug Aro, and my eyes were burning, if I had been able to weep, I would have.

"And if it wasn't for Aro, to accept the truth, we both never would have developed the understanding friendship, we share right now. " Marcus and Sulspicia intervened.

"I isn't exactly the love he shared with Didyme, but we make a nice couple, won't we?" added Sulspicia, " Caius isn't yet quite convinced of our new lifestyle, but he and Athenodora are travelling, and she's trying her very best. We all hope, she will succeed in a near future, but you know,… Caius… "She rolled her eyes.

"Athenodora is going to persuade him, the sooner or later, just remember how much she liked being seventies Pop Queen, " Marcus stated dryly.

" You don't have an idea, my heart." Sulspicia laughed " We most enjoyed Aro having to put on a new wrong beard to copy Benny almost every fifteen minutes, and the way, you mistreated your guitar, so you had to put on new strings the same time. But we loved to act as Annafrid and Agnetha, yes, they always wore such nice costumes, you know, and they danced in such a seductive way… Yes, I agree, we never had this amount of REAL fun. Corin's talents worked well for so many a years, but….This was REALLY amusing! And since then, there was so much fun. I almost forgot, living could be like this!."


End file.
